“I know the secret of your power,” the insect announced, as he held a laser on his nemesis. “It was an ancient drug used by my people many centuries ago. But like any other drug, however, it can be neutralized.”
“Why don’t you neutralize me then?” the humanoid suggested.
Zarcon pulled the syringe from his belt, as Riona tried to control his arm, but found it difficult to do so. He used his mind to make the insect drop the laser, and watched as Zarcon began to point the needle back towards himself. Zarcon used his lower arm to inject the other syringe into Riona’s arm as he screamed in pain, ripping it from his bleeding arm. “You’re going to pay for this,” Riona yelled and grabbed for the laser, pointing it at the insect.
“Now,” he scoured. “Your precious Sentros will be obliterated!”
He reached across the panel and tried to set the coordinates, but Zarcon grabbed his arm holding the laser. He grabbed Riona by the neck with his other arm, and used his two free arms to initiate the self destruct sequence. “No,” Riona cried. “Don’t you realize what you’ve done?”
Zarcon threw the laser against the control room wall.
“Yes,” he said. “I’ve destroyed your doomsday weapon! And now that you are no better than any other being, let’s see how you really can fight!”
He grabbed Riona using all four arms and hurled him across the control room floor. He fell about ten feet away, scrambling for his weapon. Zarcon kicked it away, grabbed and lifted him by the neck, shoving his head against the computer panel. Zarcon spoke to him as he threw him against another panel.
“You are nothing without your Triachilite,” he told him. “For years, I respected you as a great leader. I used to be afraid of you, and to this day I don’t know why. You’re nothing but a disgusting, pathetic, egotistical maniac. I should kill you right now!
“Do it then,” he pleaded. “Kill me! It doesn’t matter! The destruction countdown has begun! You’ll never escape in time!”
“I can’t kill you,” Zarcon detested. “That wouldn’t make me any better than your destructive race!”
There was an explosion and the main door opened. “Zarcon,” a voice yelled, as the smoke cleared. His friends entered with a small troop of soldiers, some human and some Talokian. As the insect turned towards them, Riona quickly grabbed the laser and fired it into the insect’s back. He fell to the floor in pain and the soldiers opened fire on the humanoid, killing him in just seconds. His laser blasted body fell to the floor.
Dormiton and Milgic ran over to their friend, followed by Carver and Lori.
“Zarcon,” Dormiton cried, and raised his friend’s head from the
floor. The Lingworts wept over their friend. “You can’t die!”
“Use your thought transference,” Milgic suggested with tears in his eyes.
“I cannot,” Zarcon said as he gasped for air. His chest was bleeding badly.
“I don’t have the energy. Get everyone out of here. The fusion gun is going to self destruct in ten minutes!”
“Barva,” John said into his hand held communication device. “Never mind shutting down systems, I repeat abort mission! Evacuate, I repeat, evacuate! This place is going to blow in ten minutes!”
“We read you loud and clear,” Barva answered. “Preparing to move out!”
“What about Jeff?” Lori asked, searching the control room.
“Catwalk,” Zarcon gasped. He grew weaker with each breath, as he continued to bleed internally.
“Catwalk?” Dormiton asked, as he sobbed over his friend.
“I think he means Jeff is on the catwalk,” Carver said, as Lori immediately ran up to retrieve him. She climbed up the ladder, and saw him lying on the floor. She knelt over him, turned his limp body around, and lifted his head.
“Jeff,” she said, as he awoke. She wrapped a tourniquet around his arm and tried to stop the bleeding.
“Is that you?” he asked, smiling. “Or am I dreaming?”
“Yea, it’s me,” Lori answered.
“But how?” he asked. “How did you find me?”
“With a little help from your friends,” she said. “They’re the ones who brought us here. It’s a long story. When we got time, I’ll tell it to you.”
“I got a feeling I know how it ends,” he said, as she helped him to his feet. “Is Balta dead?”
“Balta?” Lori asked, bewildered.
“Yes,” he said. “I left him lying next to-” As he turned, he could see that the evasive Balta once again managed to escape. However, without an army or ray gun, he didn’t pose a threat at the moment. Lori helped him down the catwalk to where the rest of them where, and walked over to Zarcon.
“What happened?” the weary Major Walker asked.
“Riona shot him,” Dormiton stated.
“But not before he accomplished the mission,” Carver added.
“Hello John,” Jeff said, happy to see another friend’s face. He
gave him a firm though tired handshake. “Long time no see.”
“Yes,” Carver answered, and placed his right hand on his left shoulder. “You better speak with your friend. He’s dying.”
“Isn’t there anything we can do for him?” Milgic pleaded.
“I’m afraid not,” Lori remarked, as Jeff bent over the insect.
“We did it,” he told Zarcon, as he grabbed his claw.
“Yes, we did,” Zarcon whispered. “At least I was able to destroy the ray gun. You better go, before it’s too late.”
“Farewell, Friend,” Jeff said, and grabbed his claw tightly. “I’ll never forget you.”
“And I’ll never forget you, Jeff Walker,” he answered, closing his eyes for the last time. Jeff’s head fell on his chest and he began to weep, removing Zarcon’s headband, and gripping it tightly.
“Goodbye, Friend,” he repeated over several times. His two lingwort friends tried to pull him away from their companion.
“We have to get out of here now,” Carver commanded, as he grabbed Jeff’s arm himself. He watched Zarcon and the remains of Riona as he was dragged from the main control center towards the landing bay. He placed the headband in the pocket of his tattered and torn spacesuit.
“Five minutes and counting,” the computerized voice announced as they ran into the hangar deck.
They boarded the Varcon immediately, greeted by Barva. As the five passengers boarded, Barva looked out the main door hatch, and the other troops boarded two other ships. “Where’s Zarcon?” he asked.
“He’s not coming,” Carver said, as he climbed in, bowed his head and closed the hatch. Carver glanced towards him as Barva knew in his mind what happened to their friend. “Get us out of here as fast as you can!” Barva nodded, accelerating the vehicle out of the hangar bay and up into the atmosphere.
The fleet of spaceships rapidly emerged from the Tolarion ground base. Destroying Tolaria probably wouldn’t mean the end of their arrogant race, but it would mean an end of their tyranny. They watched the exploding planet which looked like a small sun for a moment, as the fusion weapon set off a chain reaction that incinerated the surface of it. They quickly left the solar system and into the darkness. They had successfully destroyed their enemies and restored peace for both universes, and even though Jeff found himself an interesting circle of friends, he couldn’t help but feel sorrow for the loss of his friend. Zarcon helped them when they needed it the most; a perfect stranger
who turned against his own beliefs to do so. That was the making of a true friend.
Two weeks later, they arrived at the council once again to face Balar. Sentros successfully warded off their attackers, and was ready to greet their heroes with honors. “Where is Zarcon?” he asked, as they entered the chambers.
Jeff stepped up to the table, his arm in a sling. He bowed his head as he explained. “He was killed by Riona,” he informed them. “He gave his life to protect this planet and destroy the death ray.”
“We are sorry we ever doubted hi
m,” Balar said, regrettably. “He has proven to be a great asset. “Therefore, we will award each of you with our medal for bravery.” He reached inside a case that was near the table. He placed four medals on the table, and began to hand one to Jeff.
He became a little annoyed by their nonchalant attitude. “Keep your medals,” Jeff muttered. “What we really need is a place to live. Balta saw to it that Mars was destroyed. We have no home to go back to.”
“I’m sorry to hear that,” he said. “You are welcome to live here or perhaps we could find a world to restart your races. If you could live anywhere in this galaxy, where would you like to live?”
The human thought for a minute, looked at the two lingworts, then Lori and smiled. “Ventros,” Jeff stated, and the two lingworts and Lori hugged him.
“What’s Ventros like?” she asked, gazing into his brown eyes with wonder.
“It’s like Earth, Lori,” he said. “We’re going home to a quiet and peaceful Earth.” She smiled, always wondering what Earth looked like. The party walked to the entrance of the council chambers, where they were greeted by Carver and Barva. “And where are you going, Barva?” Jeff asked his genetically connected friend.
“Back to my own people,” he said. “Jalok needs me to help our race rebuild itself. We owe it all to you, you know. Perhaps in one hundred years we can help your races reach the peace it took us millions of years for us to achieve.”
“Perhaps,” Jeff said, and held his hand out to him. Barva grabbed it tightly. “There is one thing you were wrong about though. Humans are more capable than you think of advancement. Akros claims he was creator of the inter-dimensional device. It’s too bad that he didn’t use it for useful purposes however. Anyway, take care, Friend. If you’re
ever in the neighborhood, stop by.”
“I will,” he said. “I still don’t totally believe Mr. Akros came up with the idea himself, but it’s a mute point now anyway. Take care, Jeff. As an old earth saying goes, I’d like to say it’s been fun, but it hasn’t.”
“I know what you mean,” Jeff laughed. “Goodbye, Barva.”
“Goodbye, Jeff,” he answered as they hugged each other.
Two more weeks passed since their departure from Sentros, and they finally reached home again. Lori and Jeff became closer than they ever were before, and were finally together the way they always wanted to be. The war, although it was catastrophic, brought them together in a way stronger than the bonds of space and time itself. John Carver brought most of the humans to Ventros as well using a fleet of Republic ships with advisors to help them rebuild.
They colonized on several small islands within the region of the lingwort’s, and other humans remained on Sentros. The lingworts on the other island were transferred to where they wanted to be in the first place. Some of the humans also stayed there to help the lingworts rebuild their small community. They built a new village and named it “Sarrala”, which meant ‘freedom forever and for all’, and started to learn trade with the humans on the other islands.
Jeff and Lori chose to live the primitive life on the island without technological advancements; other than a trusty laser or two. Jeff had enough of it for a while, and wondered why he ever longed for it to return. He was relieved he could return to the days of fishing and cooking on an open fire.
Three months since the Tolarian invasion, Lori and Jeff were walking on the far side of the island. They were catching up on all times, and enjoyed each other’s company. They walked through the lush jungle path which led up to the ridge where the base had once been, and he told her of the struggle to save their world. While his back was turned towards the path, a dark figure emerged from the jungle. From behind he felt a thud against the back of his head, and he fell to the ground in pain. He became dizzy, and he faintly made out who it was, as Lori screamed and struggled to get away.
When he regained his senses, he saw that he was struck with a log, and that Lori was fighting off her attacker and was being pushed towards the ledge just above them. Jeff jumped to his feet, and ran up to save his love. He approached, and his attacker turned towards him laughing. “You!” Jeff sneered in anger. He just couldn’t seem to kill
this monster.
“Yes, Mr. Walker, it is me,” his Tolarion nemesis said.
“You’re a tough ape man to kill,” Jeff told him.
“As you are as well, Mr. Walker.” He grabbed Lori’s neck tighter as she struggled.
“At least I don’t hide behind a woman.”
“You’re games are starting to bore me,” he said, as he pushed her closer to the edge. “I’m going to take away everything you ever cared about, starting with her!”
As he began to throw Lori over the cliff, Jeff reached for her, unable to grab her arm. She grabbed onto a branch just below them to stop from falling, as Balta kicked Jeff in the side. Jeff fell, and Balta kicked him in the stomach several times. “When are you humans going to learn,” he said, as he walked back to finish what he set out to do. “You’re inferior to us!”
Jeff rose from the ground to face his enemy one last time. He went to push Balta, and he stopped his arm, twisting it. “Give it up,” he said. Jeff swung quick with his right hand and hit him right in the face two or three times until he fell. As Balta struggled to pick himself up, Jeff backed up.
“Here’s what I think about your superior race!” he said as he took a running kick, powerful enough to propel the Tolarion off the cliff and into the ocean below. While he fell, Jeff watched him, amazed that he didn’t even scream and was laughing instead. Jeff reached down to grab the hysterical Lori. She crawled back up to him and embraced him in her arms, crying. “It’s gonna be all right,” he said. “It’s over!”
As the sun set behind them on the tropical island, they were truly thankful for all this experience taught them, and how fortunate they really were to live anywhere in a universe without such turmoil. The most important thing to them was that they had their own Garden of Eden to reshape, and it was for them to decide if they were going to follow good over evil.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Nicholas T. Davis lives in East Syracuse, NY, has been writing since he was 12 years old, motivated by his seventh grade teacher to learn the craft.. He has been married to his wife, Nancy, for 13 years, and has a daughter, Kelly, from a previous marriage. His father was a protestant minister and maintenance worker for Syracuse University and his mother was a homemaker, and he is one of eight children.
He has worked as a cleaner for a psychiatric hospital for 26 years and wrote in his spare time, and continues to do so. He also oil paints, and is a part time musician. Dimension Lapse is his first science fiction novel. For more information on what his next project will be, please visit his blog or Facebook page.
WHERE TO FIND NICHOLAS DAVIS
BLOG: https://ntdavis18dotcom.wordpress.com
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/NATNIGHT
EMAIL: [email protected]
TWITTER: Nicholas T. Davis@NICKTDAVIS18
Dimension Lapse (Dimension Lapse Series Book 1) Page 19